Is there a typical process for writing screenplays?
“I stew over the script as long as possible,” said Hamm, a U.Va. alumnus whose writing projects include the first two “Batman films. “I get into a zone where the story flows out of me naturally.” Hancock, a director and screenwriter, said his process is different. He works with his wife, screenwriter Dorothy Tristan. “We draft scenes and give them to one another for rewrites. Bad lines tend to disappear without the hurtful discussion process. We’ve done this on a number of projects,” including their most recent film, “A Piece of Eden,” released this year. Is there is a formula for writing screenplays? “Keep executives’ eyes moving down the page,” Hamm responded. “The big hook needs to be in the first five pages, because these guys read an enormous number of scripts.” He also said to take every criticism seriously. Even if studio executives are not articulate, “try to translate their criticisms.” After the screenplay is sold to a studio, what should a screenwriter expect? Expect alterat
